Red Alert
by Maccer
Summary: When the USS Enterprise is dragged through a strange green portal into another universe, Kirk and his crew find themselves in a battle against forces beyond their experience. (this is based on the current Star Trek universe movies)


Whatever force it was that pulled the USS Enterprise into that strange, unfamiliar place had left it damaged but intact, and its engineering department personnel worked with frantic haste to repair her scarred systems.

Spock's face was intent as he studied the readouts. Kirk waited as patiently as he could, stalking back and forth across the bridge. He knew Spock was working as fast as he could but patience wasn't something that James Kirk had in abundance.

Finally, his science officer straightened. "Captain, we appear to be lost."

"Oh, thanks for that. I sort of gathered that. Lost as in, we took the wrong off ramp and ended up in Cleveland, or lost as in, in deep crap?"

"I would say neither, though I tend towards your second colloquialism." Spock's fingers flew over the computer panel and an image appeared on the screen before him. "My spatial navigation systems cannot identify anything in local space, and the planet beneath us is certainly unknown. Whatever that energy vortex was, it appears to have transported us either very far away, or into some alternate dimension. However," he slid a control forward and the image zoomed in, "this world appears to be under attack."

That caught his Captain's attention. "Show me."

The main viewscreen focused in on the world beneath them. It wasn't a huge planet as worlds went; it was covered with substantial oceans and the readouts showed four continents and a number of scattered islands. There was a large swirling eddy in the centre of the oceans between the larger land masses. "What is that?" Kirk asked, eyes narrowing. "Some sort of cyclonic feature?"

"Apparently. I cannot recall seeing such an environmental feature that large, and seems to be stationary."

"That's unusual, isn't it?"

"Very. But it seems to be a natural phenomenon, not something caused by these…" he said, focusing the ship's sensors. The view zoomed in to a group of islands in the north eastern quadrant of the central ocean.

There were numerous dart-shaped black ships in place above the islands, fairly close to the surface. As they watched, they saw green energy of some sort being blasted down to the surface. "How big are they? Kirk asked, studying the data on his chair screen.

"Of a similar size to the Enterprise. There is no record of any previous encounter with similarly designed ships in our database."

"So we don't know their speed, manoeuvrability or weaponry."

"No. However," Spock said, switching the focus, "I believe that this may be the source of our relocation."

The sensors showed a large tower swirling with some sort of green energy but the central point of interest was a tall green funnel of power going straight up in the lower atmosphere, topped by a circular swirling vortex. "And before you ask, Captain, I have no idea what it is. The sensors cannot identify it, though it is obviously some sort of energy. That vortex appears to be our egress into this place."

"And maybe our way out?"

"Perhaps." Spock's eyes narrowed in thought. "However, without further information what effect an attempt to enter it would have upon the ship or ourselves, I would be hesitant to try."

"Hmm." Kirk's most important concern was the safety of his ship and crew, and unless dire need warranted it, he wouldn't ignore his Science Officer's warnings. "Can you show me a closer look down there? Are there any life forms registering."

"Yes, many. Thousands in fact. The majority register as alien however…" Spock paused, and his voice changed to one of mild surprise. "…there appears to be a fair number of humans amongst them."

"Humans as in Earth-type humans?"

"Indeed, or as close to it as makes no difference." The viewscreen shifted again, increasing its refinement to the ground.

"Well, I know what's happening there," Kirk said, walking towards the screen. "That's a battle."

And, he realised, a very violent one. It was odd seeing such a vicious fight in absolute silence. Enormous alien monsters rampaged and destroyed everything in their path, while the smaller figures they were fighting seemed hopelessly outnumbered. "Can you show me a closer view?"

"Yes Captain. I'll centre the view on the largest force of humans."

The viewscreen blurred and then reset and he was looking down at a desperate hand-to-hand fight. The humans and their apparently alien allies were fighting with primitive weapons; swords, bows and guns, spears and knives and the occasional flash of various coloured energies. They were backing up and away from the tower with its tall green beam as waves of huge red beasts pressed them back. He didn't know who they were but he felt a sense of kinship for those brave, desperate people and though he knew he could not, under the Federation's Prime Directive, interfere, it was painful to watch their valiant but hopeless fight and do nothing.

"Can those ships see us?" he asked Spock, not turning away from the horrific battle so far below his ship.

"Not as far as I can tell. We are in a fairly high orbit and all of their attention seems to be on the ground forces."

He watched one particular group at the front of the retreating force. It was led by a tall man in battered armour, who wielded his large sword with enormous skill and energy. Armoured warriors fought around him in some sort of tabarded group that spoke of protection or guard. A leader perhaps, and a superb fighter.

"Captain, there is some sort of flying vessel approach from their rear. From its vector, I would say it is there to evacuate the retreating force."

A secondary viewer showed the ship in question and Kirk blinked in surprise. "That's…a very odd aircraft." It had all the design of an old Earth wooden-hulled sailing ship, except for the four huge ground-directed engines powered by spinning turbine blades. It sailed forward and dipped down toward the waiting troops, dropping scaling ladders as it came close enough to the ground. They watched as the retreating force climbed the ladders, until only the leader and his guards were left.

And just when it seemed they would escape, an enormous robotic appeared out of the dust and smoke and latched onto the ship with one huge paw. It began pulling the ship down and it was obvious it didn't have the power to break free.

The leader had just begun to climb and he stopped, looked up at someone gesturing at him over the railing then thrust something into the waiting person's hand and let loose his grip on the ladder.

"Oh Lord, he's fighting that thing alone, giving his people a chance to get away."

Kirk's hands gripped the railing around his bridge station as he watched the lone figure fighting the enormous machine. As it turned its attention to him it released the ship, which bobbed upwards and turned away.

Kirk slapped a hand on his communicator. "Kirk to Transporter room. There is a lone human below, fighting a robotic. Can you locate him and beam him aboard?"

Spock appeared behind him, speaking softly. "Captain, the Non…"

"Not now Spock, lecture me later. Well, Transporter Chief?"

"Sir, just a moment…"

"He doesn't have a moment, Chief. And have security measures in place."

"Understood. Wait…yes, got him sir…beaming him up now."

Kirk moved to the turbolift. "You have con, Spock. Be prepared to take us out and put on shields if needed. Uhura, you're with me." His communications and translation officer joined him and they entered the lift before Spock could voice another negative reminder of just how many rules he'd broken.

Kirk arrived at the transporter room to find two security personnel already in place. As he entered, he noted that a restraint screen had been activated, and he stopped just outside the glowing wall.

The tall figure inside was looking around, eyes wide and alert. As Kirk entered his switched his gaze to the Captain but Kirk noted there was no sign of fear in that very human face.

The man was tall, and possibly the most well-built human Kirk had ever seen. He wore battered and bloodied armour and carried two swords, one in each hand. The man licked his lips and spoke an obvious question, and Kirk noted Uhura activating her translation set. Kirk responded, even though he knew the big man wouldn't understand him. He needed to draw out verbal responses to enable Uhura to start the translation process.

"Greetings and welcome aboard the Federation starship Enterprise."

The man's head flicked upwards with every sign of confusion, and he spoke again in a tone that sounded very much like an I'don't-understand-you response.

"Captain, his language is very similar to a version of early Latin. It's not exactly the same but it might be close enough. Can you do a "My name is" so I can provide the system with a base sample."

Kirk obligingly put his hand on his chest. "My name is James Kirk," and he raised the hand and looked at the man inquiringly. Now, if he was smart enough…

After a moment, it appeared he was. He put his own hand on his chest and spoke a phrase slowly in a similar cadence to Kirk's. Uhura nodded. "Yes, I've adapted it based on that, though the computer will need more to refine the translation." She activated the language buffer and nodded.

Kirk smiled. "Greetings."

The man looked around, startled. "Greetings to you. Who…you?"

"I am James Kirk, commander of this vessel. You are?"

"Varian Wrynn. High King of the # !)." He was obviously also getting broken translated sentences, but enough to at least partly understand. "You are not #$*^."

"We are not what?"

Varian spoke again, slowly. "Beings from the Burning Legion. Demons."

"We are not. Are you at war?"

"Yes. My world is." He paused and sighed. "I thought #&^ die today." He reached out to tentatively touch the security screen, and drew his hand back as it fizzed. "Strong magic."

Kirk watched him, surprised at how unafraid he was to be surrounded by so much alien and advanced technology. "Do your people have such magic?"

The King nodded. "Yes, but different. I need to return to them." The translator had correlated and adapted its system and became more efficient with each passing moment, as with so many highly intelligent systems. "They will think me dead."

Kirk made a decision; he got no sense of threat from this man, only concern for his people and intense curiosity. Without turning, he spoke. "Chief, drop the security screen."

A moment later the buzzing screen vanished, though his security guards remained on alert. After a moment the King stepped down off the transporter platform and walked the few steps forward to stand before Kirk. He glanced at the watchful security officers and smiled mildly.

"You guards are careful, which is wise. You do not know me James Kirk, but I sense we are more alike than unalike. You are not from this world, are you."

It was more a statement than a question, and Kirk felt a mild relief. These people might not be advanced, but they understood spatial science to some degree. "No, we are from another world very far away."

"Has your world been attacked by the Burning Legion?"

"No. Though I would wish to learn more about it, as it sounds like a threat."

The King nodded. "A threat to the Universe. Perhaps you can aid us to defend our world from it. Many die below as we speak, our entire world may be doomed." He looked across at the transporter station. "Can your mage teleport me back to my people?"

"As in magic? Well, he isn't a mage..exactly. But yes, we can get you home."

The warrior's eyes gleamed. "Excellent." He slowly slid the two swords together; they clicked into a single large sword form . He held out his spare hand. "Welcome to Azeroth, James Kirk."


End file.
